We're Two of a Kind, You and I, But Never the Same
by xXxChasingStarsxXx
Summary: Cold, unfriendly, and willing do anything to achieve her ends. Alex had been assigned a veteran partner, who has been on the job longer than is healthy for a fourteen year-old girl. Will he be able to manage her unemotional charade or will the mask fall
1. South Wiltshire Grammar School for Girls

Nora Summers was not an ordinary girl. No. Nora Summers was an extraordinarygirl. Top marks, star of her school soccer team, rich, and beautiful. So how did a girl like that find herself sitting in the corner of the cafeteria, alone at her own table, rolling an apple back and forth from right hand to left? Simple. She was intimidating, unfriendly, and always disappeared for months on end, coming back with broken bones, stitches, and a glare for anyone who dared come too close. This is exactly what she was doing now, glaring. The apple moved steadily in between her long fingers as she starred down the girl coming her way. Elizabeth McMahon was the most giddy, friendly, pink-lip-gloss-wearing, friendly-waving, toothy-smiling girl at South Wiltshire Grammar School For Girls. And there was possibly nothing in this whole school -nothing in the whole world- Nora Summers hater more.

"NOO-ra!" Elizabeth sang.

"Can I help you." Nora replied blankly. It wasn't a question, more like an effort to be polite.

"Where were you for the past week? We missed our talks together! I got a new school skit! Look! It spell's my name on the hem on the back!" Elizabeth prattled, turning around and sticking her back end out for Nora's inspection.

"Delightful." Nora grimaced, turning her face away.

"I-KNOW, right? So, any way's-" Elizabeth started on her string of gossip, and Nora blocked her out immediately before her temper got out of hand. Nora glanced outside longingly. It was raining cat's and dog's, the only reason she had eaten her lunch - or rolled it around - in the cafeteria and not out in the campus, the only place she could escape from the Gossip Queen. Nora almost let out a scream of happiness what the bell sounded, signaling the end of the lunch period.

"I'll see you latter, then!" Elizabeth called after her.

"That's what you think." Nora chuckled to herself, pulling her raincoat over her school blazer as she walked out of the cafeteria building. She practically sprinted to History, not wanting to get her book's wet, and trying to get as much space between her and Elizabeth as possible. Nora sat as far back in the room as possible, getting ready for the long, boring lecture that lay ahead.

Nora looked out the window lazily at the Wiltshire countryside as the Summers family chauffer drove her home for the holidays. These vacations were by no means a resting period for her. According to her parents, school was break, and vacation was work. Nora sighed, fiddling with the skirt of the school uniform she hadn't changed out of yet. The sleek black car rolled up the driveway to the manor house slowly, almost like the driver was teasing her. She didn't blame him, she was dreading the mission that lay ahead of her with every fiber of her being.


	2. 70 Year Old Crazy Cat Lady Super Agent

**Thank you for all the great reviews!**

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"**Jack I'm home!" Alex called, throwing his school bag on the ground by the door and running up the stairs to his room.**

"**Hold on a second! What's the rush?" Jack Starbright called from the kitchen.**

"**Game's on!" He called back. The sound of a soccer stadium filled the house as he turned up the volume.**

"**Boys." Jack chuckled, setting down her book as a knock sounded from the door. "Alex, turn it down, someone's at the door!" Jack called, getting off the kitchen stool and walking to the front hall to answer it. As soon as Jack saw who it was, she almost slammed the door closed again.**

"**What do YOU want?" She hissed.**

"**Alex." Mr. Alan Blunt said simply.**

"**He's not here." Jack sniffed.**

"**I just saw him come in, Jack." he sighed.**

"**Jack? Who is it?" Alex called from up the stairs. Jack sighed and let him in.**

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**A few hours of manipulation and threats later, Alex was being shoved into a helicopter. As they took off, he recapped his conversation with Mr. Blunt. Apparently, one of MI6's agents had been captured during a mission, and Blunt seemed eager to get them back. Or her, Alex corrected himself. Agent Summers. If MI6 let a 14 year old boy risk his life for them, Agent Summers was likely a 70 year old woman, who lived with an army of cats. Alex chuckled at the thought.**

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**Nora had given up on the handcuffs. They weren't going to come loose, no matter how hard she banged them against the floor. If she kept this up any longer, her hands were going to fall off. She sighed and slumped against the wall. **

_**This is embarrassing.**_** She though bitterly. **_**Eleven years on the job, and I still get CAUGHT. **_

**(First Person [sorry, I'm not good at writing in third person])**

"**Lokt 'er!" One of the guards chuckled. "All flustered and such." The other added. The first to speak kneeled down by the bars of my cell.**

"'**Uo wanna get out?" He mocked, dangling the keys through the bars. I eyed them, trying to determine the chances I had to reach it before he pulled them back. They weren't good. I glared at him. It had no effect, of course. He was huge, 6'3 at least, with the body build of a pro wrestler, and I was a scrawny teenage girl who hadn't eaten in days, which was not working to my advantage. "Oh! We got's som'thin for you!" He said, pulling the keys back. "It's a bit late, but who's gunna know?" He smirked, dropping a bowl of dark muddy material into the cell. It tipped sideways, and half the contents spilled out. The two guards burst into laughter, walking out of the room. I shuffled towards the bowl. I cursed myself for resisting when I was captured. This resulted in having my hands handcuffed behind my back. I twisted until I had gotten both my legs through my arms. I flipped the bowl back. It WAS food. A carrot, potato…and other things I couldn't categorize. I got as much of it back into the container an ate. It left a sour aftertaste, but any food was better than no food. Halfway through my meal, I got kind of dizzy. **_**Probably because my stomach isn't used to this food**_**. I thought. But would that make me dizzy?**

"**Sugar, I'm baacckk!" The second guard said. He unlocked the cell door and walked towards me in long strides. I scooted away, putting my cuffed hands up to protect myself. The guard pulled my arms down, shoving me down into the ground. I struggled against his hold, and apparently, he didn't like that. He kneed me in the chest. I ooff'd and lay still, trying to catch my breath.**

"**Good night." He sneered. I felt a small prick on my neck, and darkness followed.**

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**(Alex)**

**This was probably the seventh time I had gone through the floor map of this building. She wasn't in the basement, and she wasn't on the ground floor. Nor on the second, third, or fourth. I sighed and ran a hand through my hair. This is more trouble than I though it would be. I was under a table on the fourth floor, so I had three floors to go, two of which were cluttered with guards.**

"**McGaplin! Have you injected her?" Some one called.**

"**Yah. Still put up a fight, the little bitch." The person I assumed was McGaplin said. I could see his boots from underneath the table cover. I shuffled closer to the wall quietly, away from the men, but still in ear short.**

"**What else do expect from an MI6 agent?" The other guard chuckled. "If this keeps up, well have to add more security to the sev-" Their voices where cut off by the elevator. I almost ran out from my hiding place and kissed him. The seventh floor! I peeked out from under the table, no one in sight. I rolled out, leaving the floor plans. I didn't need them now. Up the stairs. Fifth, sixth… I opened the door to the seventh floor a crack, peaking through it before I opened it all the way. I looked around in awe. The seventh floor was an open space, save a long wall of metal with one single door. I walked towards it cautiously and put my ear against the sold metal. No sound. I tried the knob out, half hoping it would work, half knowing it wouldn't. To my intense surprise, the door swung open smoothly. Inside was pitch black, save the light coming from a medium sized window on my left, illuminating a small section of the inside of what looked like a cell. I could barely make out a form on the ground. I found her! I walked forward until I felt the cold bars, then the door. I rummaged through my pockets until I found the zit cream. I squirted some on the lock, or what felt like it anyways. The door creaked, but didn't budge. I frowned. Backing up, I kicked the general location of the lock. Nothing happened at first, but then the door swung sideways at an awkward angle. I bolted into the cell, towards the figure on the ground. I could make out her face in the dark, but who else would it be? I examined the window outside the cell. There didn't seem to be anything protecting it. I could fit though, and I'm sure I could push Agent Summers through as well. I brought up a fist and smashed it into the glass. I let out a hiss of pain as the glass cracked. I wound back and snapped my arm forwards again. This time it broke through all the way, letting in the smell of the ocean that surrounded the building. I glanced down. The waves lapped against the side of the building, a perfect place to jump from. A bang outside the metal room sent me five feet into the air in surprise. **

"**Crap!" I hissed, jumping back into the cell and dragging Agent Summers towards the window.**

"**In there!" Someone shouted. Footsteps were coming towards us quick. I hauled her up and trough the window, and followed after. As we fell, I grabbed on to her, preventing her from banging into the side of the building. Gun shots sounded from above us. I covered her head and mine, and seven stories later, we plunged into the water. I swam us out as far as I could before resurfacing. I looked around desperately for the fishing boat that was supposed to be waiting for us. Sounds of multiple boat engines sounded from the direction of the building. I didn't dare look back, but kept swimming forward, looking for our boat. As if on cue, it appeared on my right. I swam the three feet in between us, and grabbing the edge, I helped the fisherman haul Agent Summers on. A soon as we had set foot on the boat, the fisherman was running around, starting the engine again, and getting us the hell out of there. I checked the woman's pulse. It was really slow. I pushed her hair out of her face, and almost doubled over in shock. This was NOT a crazy cat lady super agent. She couldn't of been older than 15. Her breathing was coming out shallow and irregular, and her lips were turning blue.**

"**Do you have an oxygen tank?" I called to the fisherman.**

"**Down below!" He yelled, swerving to the left sharply to the left to lose the black boats that were coming after us. I grabbed on to the edge of the boat, but Nora rolled to the right, smashing her head into a crate. I cursed and pulled her down the stairs to the bottom of the ship. I grabbed an oxygen tank and pried her mouth open, sticking the mouth piece in. A bruise was starting to form above her left eyebrow. After a couple of minutes, I checked her pulse again, and to my relief, it was getting regular. I smeared the zit cream on the scratched handcuffs. She'd obviously tried to get them off. I lay her on the fisherman's cot, watching over her as the boat swerved us out of the danger.**


	3. Faking It

ALEX

I had been sitting in Mr. Blunt's office for over six hours. I wasn't planning on moving until I got news about Agent Summers. MI6 had taken her off in an ambulance as soon as we arrived at the docks. Mr. Blunt had told me I was the youngest spy to ever work for MI6, and after a series of questions, I figured out Agent Summers was about four months younger than me. That was four hours ago. For the past three, I've been trying to stay awake, counting the number of tiles on the floor and finding their square root. Twice. The door opened and closed behind me. I didn't even bother turning around. Mrs. Jones had been in and out the entire time I had been here, trying to coax me into going home.

"Agent Rider." I turned around at the unfamiliar voice. Agent Summers stood several feet behind me, hands in the pockets of a school blazer. South Wiltshire Grammar School For Girls. I hadn't taker her as a boarding school type. Her stance was impatient, as if she was forcing herself-or being forced-to do what ever she was going to do.

"Call me Alex." I said, standing up.

"Alex," She corrected herself with a sigh. "I would like to thank you for saving me. I am forever grateful." Her speech was so…perfect, and again, forced. Either she sat in the front row of her "Grammar School", or she was lying. I glanced down quickly, registering a pair of worn converse. A first row student wouldn't have time to wear them out like that with all the studying. So she's lying. There wasn't even any emotion in her voice.

"Your welcome." I answered. One of her eyebrows had risen slightly. I had taken too long to answer. "Are you feeling better?" I asked, trying to get the attention off my hesitation.

"Very much so, thank you." She said, eyeing me strangely. I caught a glimmer of distaste in her eyes. "I hope you have a nice day." She said before I could ask her what her problem was, turning on her heals and disappearing out the door. It clicked shut behind her. For some reason, I had expected her to seem more…friendly? She had seemed like the bubbly type, but she doesn't even act human.

NORA

After I had choked out a thank you to Call-Me-Alex, I was in a rush to get out of there. _It's_ _absolutely HUMILIATING_, I though, waiting for the elevator, _for a rookie to rescue a veteran_. It made me seem weak, not something I liked. A loud "ding" brought me back to reality, and the elevator doors opened, revealing Mr. Blunt.

"Going so soon?" He asked.

"Yes." I sniffed, steeping in beside him.

"Well, your parents are in Japan. Your driver is ready to take you to your hotel."

"Which one?" I sighed, rubbing my temples.

"The Milestone, the one overlooking Kensington Palace. I think you'll find it to your liking."

"It better be one hell of a nice suite to make up for their absence." I mumbled.

"You know they would be here if they could, but their country needs them." Mr. Blunt said, rocking back and fourth from the ball's of his feet to his heals.

"And their daughter obviously doesn't." I chuckled humorlessly.

"Nora-"

"I'm used to it, doesn't even matter." I mumbled.

"Your parent's love you very-""Don't stand up for them. You know their vile." I sneered.

"You don't mean that." Mr. Blunt coughed.

"This isn't the fist time they've failed to be here when I need them. It's also not the first time this career has almost gotten me killed." I said coldly. Blunt said nothing, obviously having no evidence to contradict what I had just said. I took a deep breath.

"Is training starting again?" I asked. I could have just gone home, it's not like their ever there anyways.

"Mhmm." Mr. Blunt said, still rocking.

"I don't like him." I said.

"Alex?"

"No. The Grinch." I snorted, rolling my eyes. "Yes, Alex. I don't like him."

"Nora, you don't like anyone." Mr. Blunt chuckled.

"I don't like him _especially_." I said, as the door opened.

"This is your masochistic side." Mr. Blunt said. "Actually, you only have a masochistic side, you poor, poor girl."

"I don't see what you mean." I said, walking towards the photo booth.

"You will." He said cryptically. I sat in the stool, not really wanting to know what he had to say. I've known the man since I was three. It's not like he didn't know me. It's not like I could disagree.

ALEX

"I think I deserve to know!" I argued.

"Alex, it's restricted information!" Mrs. Jones sighed.

"Restricted or not, you have access to it!" I said, pacing.

"Why don't you just ask her?" Mrs. Jones suggested.

"Why don't I just jump off a building to see if it'll kill me?" I snapped, standing still and crossing my arms.

"Alex, just come to the JD training session tomorrow and ask her!" Mrs. Jones said, tapping her foot impatiently and looking at the clock.

"JD training session?" I asked, letting my arms fall to my sides.

"Junior Division. Nora and three other veteran Juniors teach younger kids combat." Mrs. Jones explained.

"Younger? That disgusting! Your training them to be your little guinea pigs!" I accused.

"Alex, it's just a self defense class. The government runs it." Mrs. Jones explained.

"I bet that's exactly what you tell them." I challenged. Mrs. Jones opened her mouth, but shut it again.

"Where is it?" I sighed.

"Right across the street from the Royal and General Bank."

Nora

"Lift your hands up higher, your not protecting your face!" I sighed from the mats.

"Like this?" The little boy called.

"Perfect, now fix your feet. No, that's too much. Less. Le-Good. Now try to get him again." He snapped his fist forward, and Will blocked it.

"Again." I told him. Blocked. "Okay, good job, next up."

Once Will and I had gone through all the kids, we told them to go blow off some steam outside in the playground. I slumped down lower on my mat, starring up at the ceiling.

"You are so god damn lazy." Will chuckled sitting down beside me.

"I'm just tired." I grinned, closing my eyes. Will was my partner. Well, he was since Ian-

"Bad mission I hear." Will's voice cut right through my thoughts.

"Terrible. Rookie Rider had to go get me." I grimaced.

"And knowing you, your not taking that so well." Will chuckled.

"Meh." I said, wrinkling my nose.

"Your too competitive, that's your problem." Will said.

"I'm not competitive!" I argued. He shot me a look. "Okay, maybe just a little." I mumbled. Will laughed, rustling my hair.

"Your such a kid." He said, laying his head on my stomach.

"Your two years older than me. Big deal." I said.

"Yeah, bu-" Will was cut of by the sound of the door closing. We glanced towards is casually. Seeing Rider, I sat up quickly, smashing Will's head in between my leg and my stomach in the process. Will sat up, grumbling and rubbing his ear.

"Uh, hey." Alex said, walking towards us casually. "Mrs. Jones said you'd be here." He explained.

"Well, what do you want?" I asked, standing up and crossing my arms.

"You seemed…off, yesterday. I was wondering why." He said, putting his hands in his pockets.

"I was unconscious." I said slowly, as if to a child. Will laughed behind me. Alex rolled his eyes.

"I mean in Mr. Blunts office." He said.

"I thanked you. The I wished you a nice day and walked out. What's off about that?" I asked.

"You faked it." Alex shrugged. I paused for a second.

"If you want another expression of gratitude, your not getting one." I told him.

"I don't want anything but an explanation why you hate me when I haven't done anything bad to you." He said.

"Because I didn't need your help! I would have gotten out sooner or latter, but wonderful Alex Rider had to come to the rescue!" I snapped.

"Nora," Will started, putting a hand on my arm.

"No." I said, pulling my arm back. "He asked, for an explanation, so I'll give him one."

"You honestly think you could have gotten out of that without help?" He asked, genuine surprise in his voice.

"Of course I could have!" I hissed.

"Then why didn't you?" He asked, getting cocky.

"Don't be a smart ass! It wasn't the right time!" I said.

"Nora, the kid's are coming in, you two go settle this outside." Will said, shoving us out the back door. He closed it behind us. Great. In an alley with Alex Rider.

"Oh, good job, Rider." I snapped.

"Honestly, what's your problem?" He asked.

"YOU. ARE. MY. PROBLEM." I yelled. "Some of us have been working our entire life to get were we are, and you come waltzing into headquarters already at the top! You've got some nerve to ask me what my problem is, pretty boy."

"Wow, your really pissed off." He said.

"Nice of you to notice! Wonderful detective skills! Maybe Blunt should just make you the head of MI6! Maybe then you'll take over England!" I rambled, until I noticed that he was starring at something over my shoulder. "Are you listening?" He shook his head and pointed behind. I glanced back and my eyes widened in shock. A man. On the ground, surrounded by blood.

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Cliffhanger!!! Please review!


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